Effectiveness of core strength training for racket sport athletes’ performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis
This meta-analysis examined the effects of core strength training (CST) on physical fitness and technical performance in racket sport athletes. Eighteen studies involving tennis, badminton, and table tennis were included. Compared with control conditions, CST was associated with significant improvem...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | en |
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Nature Research
2026
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| Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/123743/1/123743.pdf http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/123743/ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-39391-w?error=cookies_not_supported&code=4c8b270d-aae9-4461-9e90-b9a080516cd1 |
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| _version_ | 1860590897179131904 |
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| author | Yu, Xinwei Yin, Hang Zhang, Jia |
| author_facet | Yu, Xinwei Yin, Hang Zhang, Jia |
| author_sort | Yu, Xinwei |
| building | UPM Library |
| collection | Institutional Repository |
| content_provider | Universiti Putra Malaysia |
| content_source | UPM Institutional Repository |
| continent | Asia |
| country | Malaysia |
| description | This meta-analysis examined the effects of core strength training (CST) on physical fitness and technical performance in racket sport athletes. Eighteen studies involving tennis, badminton, and table tennis were included. Compared with control conditions, CST was associated with significant improvements in several physical performance outcomes, including balance, agility, core endurance, and muscular strength. In addition, CST demonstrated beneficial effects on technical performance indicators such as ball velocity, spin control, and shot accuracy. Given the shared biomechanical demands of racket sports, including trunk rotation, kinetic chain efficiency, and coordinated whole-body movement, these findings support the role of CST as a targeted, sport-specific training strategy. This study provides the first quantitative synthesis focusing exclusively on racket sport athletes, offering practical insights for coaches and practitioners seeking to enhance performance within high-speed, multidirectional racket sport contexts. |
| format | Article |
| id | my.upm.eprints-123743 |
| institution | Universiti Putra Malaysia |
| language | en |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publisher | Nature Research |
| record_format | eprints |
| spelling | my.upm.eprints-1237432026-03-18T04:06:21Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/123743/ Effectiveness of core strength training for racket sport athletes’ performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis Yu, Xinwei Yin, Hang Zhang, Jia This meta-analysis examined the effects of core strength training (CST) on physical fitness and technical performance in racket sport athletes. Eighteen studies involving tennis, badminton, and table tennis were included. Compared with control conditions, CST was associated with significant improvements in several physical performance outcomes, including balance, agility, core endurance, and muscular strength. In addition, CST demonstrated beneficial effects on technical performance indicators such as ball velocity, spin control, and shot accuracy. Given the shared biomechanical demands of racket sports, including trunk rotation, kinetic chain efficiency, and coordinated whole-body movement, these findings support the role of CST as a targeted, sport-specific training strategy. This study provides the first quantitative synthesis focusing exclusively on racket sport athletes, offering practical insights for coaches and practitioners seeking to enhance performance within high-speed, multidirectional racket sport contexts. Nature Research 2026-02-09 Article PeerReviewed text en cc_by_nc_nd_4 http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/123743/1/123743.pdf Yu, Xinwei and Yin, Hang and Zhang, Jia (2026) Effectiveness of core strength training for racket sport athletes’ performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Scientific Reports, 16 (1). art. no. 7862. pp. 1-14. ISSN 2045-2322 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-39391-w?error=cookies_not_supported&code=4c8b270d-aae9-4461-9e90-b9a080516cd1 Multidisciplinary 10.1038/s41598-026-39391-w |
| spellingShingle | Multidisciplinary Yu, Xinwei Yin, Hang Zhang, Jia Effectiveness of core strength training for racket sport athletes’ performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
| title | Effectiveness of core strength training for racket sport athletes’ performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
| title_full | Effectiveness of core strength training for racket sport athletes’ performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
| title_fullStr | Effectiveness of core strength training for racket sport athletes’ performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effectiveness of core strength training for racket sport athletes’ performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
| title_short | Effectiveness of core strength training for racket sport athletes’ performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
| title_sort | effectiveness of core strength training for racket sport athletes’ performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
| topic | Multidisciplinary |
| url | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/123743/1/123743.pdf http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/123743/ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-39391-w?error=cookies_not_supported&code=4c8b270d-aae9-4461-9e90-b9a080516cd1 |
| url_provider | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/ |